Stapling device



Jan.. i3, E942. c. l. TAGER Er A L 2,269,744

STAPLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l c. l. TAGER ETAL 2,269,744

STAPLING DEVICE Jan. 13, 1942.

Filed Aug.v 2o, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 13,1942 i STAPLING DEVICE Charles I. Tager and 'Hans C. Stockel, Chicago,

lll., `assignors to .AmercanDie & Tool'Corpol-ation, Chicago, Ill., a :corporationlofflllinnis Application August 20, 1940,.Serial No. ,353,434

:12 Claims.

This invention relates to a stapling device, zand more .particularly to'impro'vements in a small stapler vadapted for ofce use.

We contemplate .a stapler of the type which may be used either in permanentstapling or in temporary staplingand accordingly we have pro--Y vided our new .device with means making this possible in a well known manner. Further, we have provided our new andimproved stapler with means whereby the stapling head may be swung away from the base and be used as a tacking device without deformation of the staples.

The primary object of our invention is to yprovide a novel and improved stapling devicerof exceedingly simple construction andpositiveoperation.

An object, collateral with the above, is jthe provision of novel methods for the formation of vital parts of our new and improved ,stapling device.

Still a further object of the .present invention is to provide a stapler having novel staple maga- Zine and associated parts.

Further, an object of this invention is to provide novel plunger guide means, novel staple ejection means, and novel plunger means forvour new and improved stapling device.

' lOther objects of the-invention are to provide a novel spring and plunger mechanism for forcing ythe `staples of our new `device into ejection position; novel means for concealing the magazine and associated mechanism; novel means for adding compression to the already compressed spring of the magazine mechanism of -our :ne and improved stapling device.

Still further objects -of the present invention liein 4the. provisionof a novel ejection plunger positioning .mechanism novel housing ifor `our stapling device; and novel covernieans 'forthe housing of our stapling device.

A `further object of the present invention isto provide a stapling device vof the .character y.described of extreme simplicity so :.thatisame may be adapted for low cost production in .largequam tities without the sacrifice .of anyiconstructional and operational advantages.

With the foregoingand other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novelfeatures of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated `in the accompanying drawings, ,and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, Vpromaybe made without departingfrom the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

v.For the purpose `of Ifacilitating an yunderstandingof our invention, we have illustrated in the accompanying drawings va vpreferred embodiment thereof,from an inspection of which, when considered ,in connection lwith `the .following description, .our invention, itsmode of construction, assembly `and `operation, and many of its advantages yshould be ^readily understood and appreciated.

Referring tothe drawings vin which the Vsame characters .of reference are employed toindicate corresponding ,or similar parts throughout the several ,figures of .the drawings:

Fig. Y1 Aisa sideelevational view of a stapling device embodying our .new invention.

Iig. .2. is.amedian sectional viewof our new` and improved .stapling ldevice taken generally along .the line j2-'2 of Fig. 3 as indicated.

Eig. .3 `is a A.sectional View taken through the housingof .ounnew and improved stapling device as indicated .by the line 3.,3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. v14 ,is aplan viewof the sheet metalblank 'from which 'gthe'ihousing of our new and improved .,stapling -device ,is formed.

`Fig.'5 is a side elevational View of the rearend .of .ournew and improved `stapling device with portions thereof ,in section to show the operation ,ofl pnrtions 4Cif ourdevica Fig. .6 ,is a sectional Viewl taken through the staple `plunger of ournew device along the line 6-'6 `of Fig. 2 iin themanner indicated.

Fig. ',7 is a bottomsectional View A,of ourdevice takengenera'lly along'the line 1-"1 of Fig. 2 and inthe direction off the arrows, Abeing vin effect a bottomplan view ofthe device with the rubber base member removed. V

Fig. ,8 Sis a bottom perspective view of the plunger and depressing member of our newdeportiomsize and minor details of the .structure 55 vice .removed v therefrom.

` 1Fig-9 is,.a.sectional viewcf our new and improved stapling device taken .generally along the line `9-.9 vof Fig. 2 in the generaldirection indicated.

li'g. ,10,.is ,a fragmentary bottom plan view of the. forward portion of the staple driving part.

V.,Fig. 411 .is a vertical Vsectional View taken along line `l,I--I.I cfFig. .2. looking towards the front end Iof the device.

Generally, theinvention liesin a novel and ingenious method oi making, our device. andl in the novel and .improved combinations of' features resulting in partrom the method. .As inferred pivotally mounted the staple driving head I2 by A' opposite to the bifurcated apex a pair of flaps 25 are formed and the remaining sides of the triangular blank are curved as shown at 26. The portion 21 is cut back further than the line z along which the flaps 25 are adapted to be folded.

In the formation of the housing out of the blank shown in Fig. 4 three zones are defined in said blank extending between the bifurcated apex and the side opposite thereto by lines y, y. The central of said zones between lines r,

i isadapted to form the base portion 28 of a chanmeans of the screw or pin member I3. Thepivotal mounting is shown in the drawings as -screw and nut fastening means. Aj

I2 to swing in an arc of 180"` if. it is desired to.

use the head without the ba'se, as shown by the broken lines of Fig. 1. A soft rubber or thelike protecting member I5 is provided tol prevent the base I0 from scratching furniture upon which same is placed.

The base is provided with an anvil l'pivoted by means of a rivet or the like I1 to a depression I8 formed therefor in said base. Said anvil I6 is circular so that it may be moved to its various positions with respect to the ejected staple which will come from the staple-driving head I2 as hereinafter described. Said anvil has an arm-like member I8 attached thereto and extending through an arcuate slotted opening I9 in the surface of the base member I0 whereby the anvil may be moved to either of two positions as defined by the limits of said slotted opening I9. In one position, the arms of the staple, which is of conventional inverted U- shaped form prior to deformation, are deformed inwardly in a well known manner to produce a so-called permanent staple; and in another position, the arms are deformed Aoutwardly in producing a so-called temporary staple. The socalled permanent staple opening in the anvil is not shown in the drawings, but is conventional and well known in the art, and forms nowpart of the invention. Likewise, the opening's'20 in the anvil which aid in the formation of a temporary staple, are shown in Fig. 3, but form no part of the present invention. 'y

The rubber member I5 which is disposed upon the base IU for preventing scratching of furniture or the like upon which thev stapling device may be disposed, is provided with a centralopening 2I through which the arm I8 may be manipulated to adjust the anvil to either a permanent or temporary stapling position. 'The 're'ar portion of the member I5 may be hollowed out or in any other manner cut or formed to permit movement of the head I2 to the position shown by the broken lines of Fig. 1, in which case the device is used as a tacker. In the embodiment illustrated, a portion of the rim of the member I5 is cut away, as at I 5', 'to permit such swinging while the bottom face ofthe member I5 is provided with the opening 2 I The head I2 is provided with a housing 2| Which is of novel and unusual construction. It will be noted that said housing 2| is formed entirely of one piece. In the formation of said housing a blank, as shown in Fig. 4, is punched out of sheet metal in generally triangular shape. Said blank has a portion thereof removed' as at 22, thereby bifurcating an apex ofthe triangle into two ears 23. A cut is made across the base of the removed portion 22 as shown at 24 to aid in the formation of the housing. At the side nel formation and the outer two zones between lines --y and lines .1r-y, are adapted to form the leg portions 29 of said channel formation. Said channel formation is struck into the blank as for example by upsetting the portion 28.

Priorto the upsetting of said portion 28, it is preferable that the iiap portions 25 be bent perpendicularly to the Wings 30 along the line z-a in a direction which will result in said flaps 25 joining one another in the formation of a front Wall 3I for said housing, and to serve as spacing means for spacing said wings 30 apart. Since the lines z--z are offset from the end 21 f of the channel forming zones, upon completion of the housing there will be a space between the front wall 3| formed by the ears 25 and the end 21 of the channel formation through which a staple will be ejectable.

In upsetting said zone :1c-r, and thereby forming the arms 29 of the channel portion defined by the zones :1r-y, :1c-y, the flaps or wings 30 are folded parallel to and upon said portions 23, leaving, however, sufcient space between the outer face of the arm portions 29 and the inner face of said wings 30 to accommodate the thickness` of the staples S intended to be used with our stapling device.

It will be seen that the resulting housing consists of a substantially right angle triangular member with its bottom wall depressed inwardly and upwardly by reason of the channel formation, its arcuate top open, and its walls or wings 30 spaced from one another by reason of the front wall as formed by the flaps 25. A staple ejecting opening is formed at the front lower portion of the housing by reason of the offset portion 2l and said opening is designated by the character 32 in the drawings. Rows of staples which are inserted into the rear of thehousing (the righthand side as viewed in Figs. l, 2 and 3) will be slideable upon the channel formation with the bases of said staples riding upon the portion 28 and the arms of said staples depending into the space formed between the portions 29 of said channel formation and the inner walls of the wings 30. The portion 21 is cut back sufficiently `so that the space 32 resulting between the forward end of the formation and the inner face of the wall 3I' is sufficient to permit passage of one staple at a time.

An auxiliary member 33 of generally U-shaped cross-sectional formation is provided between the ears 23 for strengthening that portion of the housing and for providing rigid spacing means permitting the attachment of the pin I3 to the staple driving head I2. A strong leaf spring 6U is riveted to the inner bottom of the member 33 `at 6I and bears against the upper surface of thebase ID, thereby maintaining the head I2 re- 'siliently spaced above the base I0 and causing same to return to said position upon `release thereof after having been depressed in an operating stroke. A portion of the leaf spring 60 extends upwardas shown at 34, and has a hooked portion for a purpose to bedescribed.

It is to be notedthat the ears 23 are not deformed while the channel portion is struck upward. Hence the ears remain as. extensions of the wingsv 30 and are disposed parallel to one another as shown, Figs. 1, 2 and 5. These ears are welded or otherwise fixed betweenlthe arms of the U-shaped member 33.

In yorder to force the staples forward towards the wall 3|, we have provided a member 35 of the same general cross-sectional size as a staple. Said member is provided forwardly thereof with an upwardly struck portion 36 to engage the end of a row of staples. In the upper wall of said member 35 we attach an angle-shaped miember 31 through an opening 38 of which a staple plunger rod 39 passes. Said staple plunger rod has a hooked portion 49 at the forward end thereof and a triangular key portion 4| formed at the rearward end thereof with a depending hook 42 provided thereon. Said hook 42 is adapted to extend into a slot 43 formed in the upper surface of the wall 2B of the channel formationy so that when the spring 44 which is disposed upon said plunger rod 39 is compressed upon insertion of a row of staples into the staple magazine, the plunger rod 39 will be held in position, as shown clearly in Fig. 5. The hooked portion 49 is provided to prevent the plunger from sliding out of the member 31 through opening 33, and to aid in maintaining the entire mechanism consisting of plunger 39, spring 44 and member 35 as an easily manipulable unit.

We have provided a cover member 45 of generally channel-shaped cross section, and which is pivoted to the upper front portion of the housing 2| at 46. Said cover member 45 completely encloses the housing along the open side 26 when in a closed position. The cover member may be engageable by the housing wings 30 by friction means or some other well known expedient such as for example cooperating depressions 41. 'A

It will be noted that when the cover member is moved to a closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, its bottom surface will engage against the key 4| forcing the plunger 39 slightly forward, thereby increasing the compression of the spring 44. When finally in closed position, the cover member serves to conceal the entire staple magazine and plunger mechanism. The cover member is provided with a downwardly struck detent 41 which engages the hooked extension 34 vof the spring 69 when the cover is in closed position and aids in maintaining said closed position. A nger portion 45 is provided on said cover member to aid in opening same.

It will be noted that the magazine is formed in 'a simple and novel manner and that no parts are necessary to coni-lne the staples other than an L-shaped member having one arm 48 disposed slightly above the portion 2B to prevent staples from moving upwards. Each of the inner walls of the wings 30 is provided with one of such L- shaped members so that an arm 4B is `disposed on either side of the row of staples. The other arms 49 of the L-shaped member are disposed slightly rearward of the front wall 3| and denne thereby a passageway between' the front wall and themselves within which the driving plunger may ride. Said members may be attached withi-n the housing by any well known means, such as for example, rivets 5U. Y

The staple driving plunger of our new device is a novel and simple mechanism and is best described with referenceto Fig. 8. The entire plunger mechanism consists of a flat Iblade 5|, which we prefer making of spring steel, attached to av depressing member 52, whereby a person may downwardly urge the depressing member 52 and vmove the blade 5| down into the driving plunger guide passageway defined between the arms 49 and the front wall 3| to eject a staple from the row of staples inthe staple magazine disposed along the member 23, and forced against the front wall of the housing, by the spring 44. A continuation y5 of the blade 5| is bent at right angles thereto to provide for attachment to the member 52 by the rivet 53 and still a further extension of the portion 5|' provides a downwardly depending hook portion 54. In order to strengthen and stiften the entire assembly an L-shaped member 55 is riveted to the blade 5| at 56 and attached thereto by means of the common rivet 53 at the depressing member 52. f

The cover member 45 is provided forwardly thereof with an opening 51 through 'which the upper portions of the arms 49 extend. Said upper portions of the arm 49 are designated bythe reference character 58 and same serve as stops limiting downward movement of the staple driving plunger. The upward movement of the staple driving plunger is limited by the hook of the member 54 engaging the underside of the cover member 45 as shown in Fig. 2. A leaf spring 59 is attached to the bottom of the cover member 45 at 5S' and said leaf spring engages against the bottom of the hook member 54, thereby normally causing same to move upward. This, of course, holds, the hook portion against the underside of the member 45 as explained above.

Thus it will be seen that the staple driving plunger may be operated in a simple and efficient manner and that it may be removed from the device as vfor example for'storing or inspection or replacement by merely bending member 54 to the left as shown in Fig. 2, and removing the entire assembly.

Presuming that the stapling device is empty. the member 35 is at its extreme leftV disposed upon the channel-portion 28 and the cover member is closed. The hooked portion 42 is at the extreme left of the slot 43 as shown in Fig. 2. It is desiredfto load the stapling device so that it may be further operated. First, the cover member 45 is grasped by the finger portion 45 and swung upwardly about its pivot point 46 and opened as shown in Fig. 5, thereby permitting the key portion 4| of the plunger 39 to moveto its extreme right in the slot 43. This movement .has also disengaged the hook portion 34 from the downwardly depending hook 42. Following this, the cover member 45 is moved downward and snapped into position, thereby causing the key member to move a slight amount to the left, further compressing the spring 44.

Presuming that two or more sheets of paper are disposed upon the anvil preparatory to stapling them, the depressing member 52 is struckr by the operator and moved downward causing the blade member 5I to pass between the front edges of the arms 49 and the inner face of vthe front wall 25. The bottom of the blade 5l engages the frontmost staple of the row S and forces it out through the opening 32. The staple is guided out of the housing and is completely confined on `all sides during this time at its top by the blade bottom 5|; at its rear by the remainder of the staple row being forced forward by the spring 44; and at its front by the wall 25, thereby preventing buckling, jamming or clogging of the mechanism.

As the staple is being pushed downward by the blade 5I so that its legs pass through the paper to enter the appropriate depressions in the anvil for being bent to finally deformed position on the other side of the paper, the row of staples in the meantime is constantly being forced towards the wall 25, but cannot reach same because of the fact that the blade member has now taken the position of the first staple. During this downward movement, the lower portion of the member 54 has exed the leaf spring 59 downward so that after the deformation of the staple has occurred and the depressing member 52 is released, the leaf spring 59 forces the entire staple driving plunger upward until the hook portion of the member 54 engages the bottom of the cover member 45 as shown in Fig. 2. As the blade passes upward, past the row of staples, thereby leaving a space where the former staple was, the next staple in line is pushed into position by the spring 44 and the stapling device is poised for another stroke of the staple driving plunger.

It will be seen that We have provided a novel and exceedingly eicient mechanism in connection with our novel construction. As a whole, it is to be noted that the stapling device we have presented is ideally suited for low cost manufacture in large quantities and that despite its obviously economical features, it is mechanically efficient and will discharge its duties in an expeditious manner.

It is believed that our invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. In a stapling device, including a housing and means for maintaining a row of staples within said housing positioned for ejection therefrom, means for consecutively ejecting said staples from said housing comprising a substantially fiat reciprocable blade, means associated with said housing guiding and confining the edges of said blade during its operation, and means for actuating said blade, said guiding means including a wall of said housing upon which said flat blade is adapted to ride and means for holding said `blade slidably against said wall, said magazine being of substantially inverted U-shaped cross-section and being integrally formed from the housing, the side walls thereof being spaced from the inner faces of said housing to provide a space within said housing and upon which a row of staples may ride and be maintained.

2. A stapling device, comprising a base, a housingpivotally mounted thereon, a. channel-shaped staple support formed as the bottom wall of said housing, upstanding side walls on said housing, a front wall, and a pivotally mounted top wall, a plunger reciprocably mounted on said front wall, L-shaped members attached to said upstanding side walls, one arm of each of said L-shaped members being spaced from said front wall thereby defining guides within which said plunger blade is adapted to ride, and be received, an arm of each of said L-shaped members being spaced from said channel-shaped support thereby coniining staples disposed thereon, means for operating said plunger, spring means forcing said staples into the path of said plunger blade and an opening through which said staples are adapted to be ejected.

3. In a device of the character described, a base, a housing pivotally mounted on said base, a staple magazine in said housing, means associated with the magazine for moving the staples to ejectable position, reciprocable means in said housing for ejecting staples from said magazine consecutively and driving same into the Work, said housing having one side thereof open to permit access to said magazine, said side being provided with a cover member pivoted to said housing and adapted to enclose said housing and conceal the interior thereof, said cover member having means associated therewith for normally urging said reciprocable means in a non-ejecting direction.

4. In a device of the character described, a base, a housing pivotally mounted on said base, a staple magazine in said housing, means associated with the magazine for moving the staples to ejectable position, reciprocable means in said housing for ejecting staples from said magazine consecutively and driving same into the work, said housing having one side thereof open to permit access to said magazine, said side being provided with a cover member pivoted to said housing and adapted to enclose said housing and conceal the interior thereof, said cover member having means associated therewith for normally urging said reciprocable means in a non-ejecting direction, said cover member serving to limit movement in said last mentioned direction.

5. In a device of the character described, a base, a housing pivotally mounted on said base, a staple magazine` in said housing, reciprocable means in said housing for ejecting staples from said magazine consecutively, said housing having one side thereof open to permit access to said magazine, said side being provided with a cover member pivoted to said housing and adapted to enclose said housing and conceal the mechanism thereof, said magazine being provided with spring means for urging said staples to ejectable position, said cover being adapted to aid in compressing said spring means when in closed position.

6. In a device of the character described, a base, a housing pivotally mounted on said base, a staple magazine in said housing, reciprocable means in said housing for ejecting staples from said magazine consecutively, said housing having one side thereof open to permit access to said magazine, said side being provided with a cover member pivoted to said housing and adapted to enclose said housing and conceal the mechanism thereof, spring means normally maintaining said housing spaced from said base, said spring means being secured to said housing intermediate the ends thereof, one end of said spring engaging said base and the other end of said spring being formed with a hooked portion for engaging a portion of said cover to releasably maintain same in a closed position.

7. In a device of the character described, a housing, a staple magazine in said housing, an opening in said housing through which staples may be consecutively ejected, a plunger device, means associated with the said staple magazine urging said staples into the path of said plunger whereby same are poised for consecutive ejection, said means comprising a rider riding said magazine, an elongated member associated with said rider for the manipulation thereof, and a compressible spring disposed upon said elongated members adapted to force said rider against said row of staples, said magazine having means whereby said elongated member may be removably engaged thereto While said spring is under compression, including a slot, said elongated member being provided with means engaging said slot, said housing being open at one end, a cover for closing the same, said cover engaging an end of said elongated member when in closed position serving to thereby add compression to the already compressed spring.

8. In a device of the character described, a housing, a staple magazine, a plunger for ejecting staples from said magazine, an opening in the housing through which said plunger extends, said plunger comprising a hand depressing portion for actuating same, a staple driving blade attached to said depressing portion, and resilient means also attached to said depressing portion removably engaging the housing at the edge of said opening to maintain the plunger in assembled position on said housing.

9. In a device of the character described, a housing, a staple magazine, a plunger for ejecting staples from said magazine, an opening in the housing through which said plunger extends, said plunger comprising a hand depressing portion for actuating same, a staple driving blade attached to said depressing portion, and resilient means also attached to Said depressing portion removably engaging the housing at the edge of said opening to maintain the plunger in assembled position on said housing, said last mentioned means permitting the complete removal of the plunger from the housing upon the application of pressure disengagingsame from said edge of the opening.

In a device of the character described, a housing, a staple magazine, a plunger for ejecting staples from saidmagazine, an opening in the housing through which said plunger extends, said plunger comprising a hand depressing portion for actuating same, a staple driving blade attached to said depressing portion, and resilient means also attached to said depressing portion removably engaging the housing at the edge of said opening to maintain the plunger in assembled position on said housing, said last mentioned means also acting as stop means to limit upward movement of said plunger when in operative assembled position on said housing.

11. In a stapling device, an enclosed housing formed from a single sheet of material and adapted to have a row of staples maintained therein for consecutive ejection therefrom, means for consecutively ejecting said staples from said housing comprising a substantially flat reciprocable blade, means associated with said housing guiding and confining the edges of the blade during its operations, and means for actuating the blade, said guiding means including a vertically arranged wall of said housing upon which said flat blade is adapted to ride and means spaced from said Wall to permit the sliding motion of said blade, a channel formation formed integral with said hgusing and being a wall thereof horizontally arranged and substantially perpendicular to said first mentioned wall, said formation being adapted to guide and maintain a row of staples thereon, said channel formation terminating short of the first mentioned Wall and having resilient means associated therewith for forcing a row of staples positioned thereon against said rst mentioned Wall and into the path of the blade.

12. In a device of the character described, a one piece sheet metal housing including winglike side Walls, a vertically arranged end wall, and a bottom wall, said bottom wall being of inverted U-shaped cross-section and having an end thereof terminating short of the vertically arranged end wall, said bottom Wall'being adapted to have a row of staples slidably positioned thereon, means associated with said bottom wall normally urging said row of staples towards the end wall and into engagement therewith, and staple driving means associated with said end Wall and movable parallel thereto and into the space between the end of the bottom wall and said end Wall whereby a staple positioned within said space will be driven out of the housing.

CHARLES I. TAGER HANS C. STOCKEL. 

